Board Director Virginia Chang Kiraly

Virginia earned her B.A. in Government with a minor in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin. In 2007, she was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to the California Commission for Economic Development and served seven years on the commission under three California Lieutenant Governors. She served on the San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury for two years from 2007-2009 and as Foreperson from 2008-2009. During her time on the Civil Grand Jury, she led an effort to connect public school fire alarms to first responders, such as fire departments (2008-2009); curb public employee pensions in San Mateo County cities and special districts (2008-2009); and discourage public agencies from using cash out re-funding of their general obligation bonds (2007-2008)-- a practice that has since been deemed illegal in California. She has been a leader on redistricting in San Mateo County.

Upon her election to the fire board in 2011, Virginia is the second woman in the 100-year history of the Menlo Park Fire Protection District to serve on the fire board. In 2015, she had an uncontested race and is currently serving her second term on the fire board. In November 2015, Virginia was appointed to the San Mateo County Harbor Board of Commissioners. Upon her appointment to the harbor district board, Virginia became the first Asian-American woman to serve on that board.

Virginia has fifteen years of professional experience in corporate financial analysis, planning, and investments. She is a former Senior Director of the Nasdaq Stock Market and has worked at some of the country's leading financial institutions.

In 2015, Virginia was named by the Silicon Valley Business Journal as a “Woman of Influence.” She serves on the boards of the California State Parks Foundation, the Silicon Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross, and as president of the El Camino Youth Symphony. She was a member of the San Mateo County Community College District’s Measure G Parcel Tax Oversight Committee. Virginia has been a guest lecturer on “Women & Management” at Notre Dame de Namur. She is a member of the Peninsula Volunteers and a sustainer of the Junior League of Palo Alto*Mid-Peninsula.

A daughter of Chinese immigrants, Virginia was born and raised in Austin, Texas. She is a former concert pianist. For fun, she likes to knit, stitch, run, read, and write. Virginia and her husband live in unincorporated West Menlo Park and are the proud parents of two sons and an adopted family dog.